7 Urban and Regional Development opportunities

This (final) external evaluation is intended to provide CG and CL with evidence on the effectiveness of the aforementioned project and facilitate learning to support strengthening of future health programming. The evaluation will specifically aim at achieving the following two overall objectives: A) Assess the extent to which the project was delivered against its objectives and expected results and inform final project reporting. B) Draw key lessons from the project and incorporate them in recommendations that will help to enhance the design and implementation of CL’s health programming for the future. The results will be used as lessons learnt within CG and CL but will also be presented to the BMZ, the back-donor of this project.

Research services. To build on LGA’s current work we propose to commission a piece of work to examine how the transport system impacts people and places by limiting or enabling access to skills, training and the labour market. We would like to explore six to eight (coastal/rural/urban) places with different typologies to illustrate the impact of transport challenges and make a set of short-term and long-term policy recommendations.

Key Cities is the UK's fast-growing city leadership network. With a current membership of 29 cities spanning the length and breadth of England and Wales and a collective population of over 6.5 million, Key Cities is the recognised democratic and authentic voice of urban Britain. On behalf of Key Cities, Salford City Council intends to commission policy and media support services to underpin an increase in awareness and influence of Key Cities activity. 

Watford Borough Council wishes to update their Green Spaces strategy which reflects the needs and aspirations of residents, elected members and staff that is in line with current thinking, best practice and will take the service into the next decade. The Council has an aspiration to re-think the role that parks and open spaces play within the borough particularly in regard of its new Environment Strategy and Public Health Agenda. Parks and open spaces have the potential to support a wide range of cross-cutting strategic priorities, including public health and well-being, the environment, biodiversity, education, employment, community safety, regeneration and community engagement. In developing a new strategy, the Council wishes to reference current best practice and recent research into options for future funding and maintenance of public open spaces. Key outcomes of the new strategy will be to:-To continue to enhance the Health and Wellbeing of the borough's residents-To inform...

The Tees Estuary Recovering Nature Project (TERN) is a multi-partnership project that was formally launched in July 2023. It is one of twelve national nature recovery projects that have been funded by DEFRA and Natural England to take forward the objectives of the National Nature Recovery Network (NRN) and to demonstrate national delivery of the Environment Act (2021) at landscape-scale through habitat creation and enhancement, species recovery, carbon sequestration, improvements to access, clean air and water at landscape scale. Landscape is an integral part of any conversation about sustainability, liveability, and/ resilience on Teesside because no matter how these terms are defined - nutrient and carbon neutrality, biodiversity, health and wellbeing, place-making, economic and industrial vitality, inclusivity or 'levelling up' - they require landscape solutions. Landscape architecture will support the TERN partnership to utilise a range of specialist knowledges, skills, and...

Stroud District Council is looking to commission a consultancy exercise to assess our current progress in community wealth building activities and suggest ways in which additional progress can be made. Having committed to the principles of Local Wealth Building as far back as 2018 Proposals are being sought for support in taking our community wealth building aspirations to the next level. We are looking for partners who will develop an honest appraisal of our current work in these areas, including both our strategies and aspirations, as well as considering the impact of this work with our businesses, anchor institutions and communities across the District. A further desired outcome is consideration of next steps in taking our aspirations in community wealth building to the next level. This will include preparation of a report and associated action plan in partnership with the Council and others in the Community, and presentation of these findings to interested parties. Please see...

The Natural History Museum (NHM) wishes to secure the services of an evaluation consultant to conduct a summative evaluation of the new Museum gardens. The Urban Nature Project is one of the NHM’s major organisational priorities to deliver this vision and mission. The Museum's five-acre site in South Kensington is being transformed into a welcoming, accessible, and biologically diverse green space in the heart of London. In addition to connecting people with urban nature on a national scale, this project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the NHM grounds. This will enhance our visitor welcome and experience at South Kensington by engaging visitors in key content areas around evolution, UK biodiversity and human impact. The Urban Nature Project will transform the way our visitors interact with the Museum by creating a dynamic outdoor space in which to connect directly with nature and our scientific research. This transformation of the Gardens will provide...